So what if it's too hot in Qatar for the World Cup in 2022... let's just switch it to the winter, says FIFA chief Sepp Blatter

Football's most powerful man, Sepp Blatter, has suggested switching the World Cup controversially given to Qatar in 2022 to the winter time... to avoid the punishing heat.

Fans across the world were staggered when ruling body FIFA gave the tournament to the Arab state despite its lack of stadia, infrastructure and footballing pedigree.

Now, however, Blatter has opened the door to a switch of dates which would mean the world's best footballers not having to slug it out in temperatures approaching 45C (113F) in a country half the size of Wales.

Such a move would bring accusations that FIFA was bending the rules to suit itself - and would also have a devastating effect on English Football League season.

The heat is on: FIFA general secretary Sepp Blatter (right with Mohamed Bin Hammam, the president of the Asian Football Confederation) is currenly in the Middle East for the Club World Cup tournament

Qatar beat off competition last month from Australia, the United
States, Japan and South Korea to host the event in 2022 after Russia
had been given the tournament for 2018.

Such football luminaries as Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer
have already called for the calendar to be changed.

And Blatter, attending the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, said today: 'I definitely support playing in winter here (in the Middle East). To play when the climate is appropriate and I'm thinking about the footballers, not only the fans but the actors.

'The actors giving the spectacle, this is very important to protect the footballers and if this is possible - but it should be possible with the will - and where there's a will there's a way.

'It's a question of the international calendar but again it's in 11-and-half years till this can be done.'

It's coming here: Qataris celebrate in the street after the 2022 World Cup vote

Qatar have not requested a change to the timing of the tournament from the usual June/July and had planned to air-condition all stadiums and training pitches to combat the heat, which reaches 50 degrees C in summer months.

FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said today that allowing the World Cup to move dates would open up the tournament to be staged by all nations.

He said: 'It means you open the World Cup to countries where they can never play it in June and July because it's never the right period of time.

'If you can do so, it would be a solution to open the organisation of the World Cup to a number of countries in this period which is winter in Europe but not winter in the rest of the world.'

During the bidding for the World Cup, USA's FIFA member Chuck Blazer said the summer heat in Qatar would be too intense.

He said: 'You can air condition a stadium, but I don't see how you can air-condition an entire country.'

Blatter, 74, risked further upsetting countries who lost out to Qatar by hinting that other nations might also be allowed to host matches.

Circle in the sand: The Khalifa Aspire Stadium in Doha, one of the stadia Qatar were promising to air-condition to cope with the summer heat's impact on players and fans in 2022

He has met officials in Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait as well as Qatar during a tour of the region this week, said 'the item was on the agenda but refused to say whether they support it.

'I can say all these countries are very happy first of all the World Cup is going to the Middle East ... and they are interested, I would say a little bit more than interested, to be part of this competition,' Blatter said. 'It is a wish. It is easy to say but it is not so easy to realise.'

Blatter did not elaborate on which countries would want to host the games nor how many games could be hosted by Qatar's neighbours.

English football fans will be unimpressed by the latest machinations of man who described them as 'bad losers' for complaining at missing out on the 2018 tournament to Russia.

He also caused a stir when he said gay visitors in 2022 should 'refrain from any sexual activities' because of the Gulf nation's strict laws against homosexuality.

But Blatter has now apologised and said: 'This is exactly what we are against. If somebody feels that they have been hurt, then I regret (it) and present apologies.'

It still seems likely that for all his unilateral decision-making and furore caused, Blatter will be re-elected unopposed next year for another four-year stint.

None of the four potential bidders, who include Platini, Mohamed Bin Hammam, Ricardo Teixeira and Chung Mong-Joon, is showing signs of mounting a challenge, the Mail's Charles Sale revealed today.